Elated Gen Z voters hope for prosperous BD

After nearly 17 years of disrupted electoral participation, a new generation finally stepped into polling booths on Thursday - and they did so with excitement, pride and high expectations.

Young voters, many casting ballots for the first time in the 13th National Parliamentary Election, 
described the moment as the fulfillment of a long-awaited dream and struggle.

Outside RAJUK Uttara Model College polling centre, friends Mim and Nafisa walked out smiling, inked fingers raised in quiet triumph. Registered only last year, they had imagined this day - entering a booth, stamping their chosen symbol, and emerging as full participants in democracy.

"Today our dream has come true," they said. "We voted for a qualified candidate. Whoever wins, we want a beautiful and prosperous Bangladesh."

At Uttara High School and College, Fariza Rahman cast her first ballot alongside her parents. Beaming with pride, she said she hoped her vote would contribute to building the Bangladesh envisioned by those martyred in the July uprising.

"Now the country must move forward," she said firmly.
In Dhaka-6, siblings Nidhi and Atik voted for the first time at Kamrunnessa Girls' School. The experience, they said, made them feel like responsible citizens. Their expectations had risen after the 2024 mass uprising, and though many hopes remained unmet, this election carried special weight.
Like many others, they voiced a shared aspiration - "a beautiful and prosperous Bangladesh."